Fountain pen



Oct. 22,` 1940. H C; KLAGGES 2,218,536

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Jan. l2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,//v//f/ im w 8 0 7 z Z wmw 2 WMI Mm 06t- 22, 1940 H. c. KLAGGl-:s

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Jan. 12, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Oct. 22, 1940 1 -fjUNiTEo STATES PATENT .o1-5121er:

Henry c. Klasses. Collingswood. N. J., asslznor to 'The' Esterbrook Steel Pen Manufacturing Cof, Camden, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Appueanonxanuary 12,1939, serial No. 250,585

u cinms. w1. 12o-47) My invention relates to fountain pens and comprises aform of iillingdevice involving a piston` or plunger movably mounted with `respect to the barrel which constitutes the ink reservoir of the pen, and Vair-releasing means associated with such piston or plunger so that upon operating the filling device, such rarecation of air will occur within the barrel or reservoir as to create a par'tial vacuum as the plunger is actuated,`

a form of filling device which may be inserted and removed as a unit from the barrel of the pen.

A further object oi my invention is to provide an improved form of plunger or piston with a relatively small washer or` gasket which iills the space between thepiston'and the Wall of the barrel; the piston head being of such dimensions with respect to said washer or gasket that the latter may roll on the piston head 'as i-t is moved in either direction during a lling operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tubular fitting in threaded engagement with the end of the pen barrel; suchtting carrying the plunger mechanism and enabling the latter, with the iitting, to be removed from the pen barrel or inserted as a unit. l

A further object of my invention is to provide means for sealing the bore of the iitting mounted in the end of the pen barrel and receiving the plunger, to insure against leakage past the plunger stem.

A further object of my 4invention is to utilize the washer or gasket of the piston as the sealing means for the plunger or piston stem.

'A further object of my invention is to associate an improved form of air tube with the lilling mechanism, and to arrange that such air tube shall have `limited movement eliected by the plunger device when the latter is `moved in both directions.

' A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the air tube may seat against the pen section when thev plunger mechanism is depressed so that air may be more readily discharged from the air tube through the pen section.

And a still further object of my invention is to provide a means toprevent accidental displacement of the air tube,

The plunger or piston of my improved lling device is iianged, and may be provided with anges at top and bottom of the same or at one end only.y Upon the outside of this plunger and above -the lower flange I mount a suitable gasket or Washer. which is relatively small in size and of small cross-sectional dimension; such gasket or washer being capable of movement on the plunger by reason of itsfrictional engagement therewith and with the inner wall of the barrel 10 during the pumping strokes of such plunger. The gasket or washer is slightly stretched when set in place and its cross-sectional contour may be oval, circular, square, or of other polygonal form.

In all forms of plunger-actuated filling devices 15 wherein iilling is effected by a pumping action, provision must be made for removal of the air on the downstroke and for this purpose I provide an air tube which may be said to float between the plunger. which is hollow, and the pen sec- 20 tion, which latter element has a bore provided with a seat for engagement by an enlarged portion at the end of said air tube; the arrangement being such that the air tube will be forced to such seat when the plunger is depressed through 25 mounted on the outer end of theplunger and is 35 engaged by the upper end of the spring.

These and other features of my invention are more fully set forth hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, more or less diagrammatic in character, in which: 40

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fountain pen construct` edin accordance with my invention and equipped with improved iilling means within the scope of my invention; such view showing the several parts of the structure 45 in the position they occupy when the pen is ready for writing purposes and indication of ink is omitted for clarity of illustration.

Fig. 21s a sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, show-f ing the plunger or piston element of the iilling 50 means at the end of an inward stroke.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, partly in section; showing the piston or plunger near the end of a return stroke. 55

. a slightly modified form of construction within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a part of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6; showing the piston or plunger at the end of an inward or downward stroke.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a detail of the piston head and the air tube associated with plunger mechanism of the type shown in Fig. 6, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrammaticviews illustrating the action of the rolling washer or gasket during the movement of the piston or plunger.

In the drawings, a fountain pen barrel is indicated at II, carrying at one end a pen section I2, and at the opposite end a tubular fitting I3, which may be in threaded engagement with the end of the barrel. When threaded, such fitting may have portions of its threads, I3, extending beyond the barrel for the reception of a closure cap I4. In lieu of a threaded fitting, I may employ one having frictional engagement with the pen barrel and the exposed portion receiving the closure cap may be threaded for engagement therewith, or the latter may frictionally engage the fitting.

By preference, a transparent section I5, which may be frictionally or otherwise secured to the pen barrel proper, is interposed between the latter and the pen section. In the present instance, the pen section is shown in threaded engagement with the transparent section, but any other form of connection, including a slip joint, may be employed if desired. The pen section is shown as carrying a unit insert which includes a shell I6, in threaded engagement with the pen section adjacent its outer end, and a pen point I1 and feed bar I8, permanently mounted in such shell I6. 'I'he end of the shell I6 seats against the inner end of the pen section socket, which is centrally bored at I2l for communication with the pen barrel. It will be understood of course that the pen section may carry any form of pen point and/or feed bar in lieu of the unit insert illustrated.

The tubular fitting I3 at the opposite end of the pen barrel has an enlarged bore, preferably of two diameters, as indicated at 20 and 2i, to provide a shoulder 22, and the portion extending beyond the end of the pen barrel may include an upstanding flange or apron 23 providing space for the plunger; the upper end of these parts being enclosed by the cap I4, which is detachably secured to the tubular fitting I3.

Within the pen barrel a piston head 25 is mounted, and in the form of structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, its body is annularly recessed to provide flanges 25B and 25b in spaced relation at opposite ends thereof; such'fianges being of slightly less diameter than the internal diameter of the pen barrel so as to have a relatively loose fit therein. The piston head 25 may be integral with and carried by a stem 26 relatively fitting the smaller bore 20 of the fitting I3, and such stem carries a cap 21 with a depending flange lying within the bore 2I formed by the flange or apron 23 of the tubular fitting I3, between which and the shoulder 22 of such tting, a coiled spring 28 is interposed for the purpose of restoring the plunger to normalposition after inward or downward strokes thereof I0 @X- pel a portion of the air within the pen barrel preliminary to the inflow of ink.

In order that a proper air and liquid tight joint may be made between the inner wall of the barrel and said piston or plunger during pumping movements of the latter, I mount uponthe reduced portion of the piston head a gasket orwasher 30, of such size as to require slight stretch when placed upon said piston head and of such bulk or volume as to fill, transversely, the space between such reduced portion of the piston head and the inner wall of the pen barrel. This gasket or washer is relatively small in its cross-sectional dimension so that during the pumping operations of the plunger, it has movement with and relatively to said piston head-that is to say-it occupies the position indicated in Fig. 1 when the pen is in condition of use, but when the plunger is depressed in a pumping action to dispel the air and create such rarefaction within the pen barrel as to induce inflow of ink, its position with respect to such piston head will be near or adjacent to the upper end of its reduced portion, as indicated in Fig. 2.

'I'he frictional engagement between the surface of the piston head and the inner wall of the barrel is such that such washer or gasket will actually roll on the piston head during movement of the latter in both directions. This rolling motion insures perfect closure between the piston head and the inner wall of the barrel, which can be assumed to be truly circular or substantially so.

In order to definitely insure against leakage of ink past the plunger, I preferably mount upon the plunger stem an elastic gasket or washer 3|. which lies on top of the piston-head and tightly engages the under side of the lower part of the tubular fitting I3 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig'. 1.

The piston-head and its stem, which is slidably mounted in the bore of the threaded sleeve or tubular fitting at the head of the barrel, is hollow and receives the upper end of an air tube 35. 'I'his upper end may be slotted at 36 so that the portion opposite the slots may be outwardly flared to an extent suicient to effect frictional engagement with the interior of the hollow piston and said tube whereby, upon depression of the plunger and piston, the air tube will be lowered promptly to its seat and after reaching the limit of its downward movement, the hollow stem of the plunger and the piston may slide over the same. In addition to the slots 36, the air tube shoawn in Fig 1, may be cross-bored, as indicated at The lower end of the air tube has an enlarged boss or head 35 adapted to a seat I2b surrounding the bore I2a of the pen section I2, and when such tube is lowered upon depressing the plunger, such enlarged portion will engage the seat and air entering said tube from the barrel will pass directly to the outside through passages in the feed bar mounted in the pen section prior to entrance of ink to take the place of such air. When the plunger rises under the action of the spring, after a depression, the air tube will be lifted from its seat but will not be raised from the pen section by reason of a stop which may be in the form of a cross-pin 38 carried by the pen section.

While I prefer to use what may be termed a floating air-tube, as illustrated, it is within the scope of my invention to employ an air-tube supported by the plunger in such manner that it may be positively moved up and down by the plunger, with provision for movement of the z5 ter has reached its seat. which arrangement may include `the use of a spring within the hollow plunger above the end of the air tube. or otherwise associated. y

In the form of structure shown in liigs.r l, 2, 3, et seq., I have indicated a piston or plunger having flanges at both ends, with the washer or gasket 30 disposed for movement between -the same.

In they structure Vshown in Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown a form of plunger 25| in which a single washer 30* is employed the latter functioning to close-the space between 'the pen barrel and the body of the plunger: thereby effecting a liquidtight joint during movement of the plunger, while at the same time, when the pen isin the writing position, such washer also serves to seal the joint between the plunger and the tubular fitting in the end of the pen barrel, through which the plunger operates. In this form of such fitting, the lower part is bored for the reception of the piston and an annular rib provides a shoulder 22l against which the spring 28 abuts.

As in the structure shown in Figs. 1,` 2,and 3, the pen barrel shown in Fig. 6 is threaded at its upper end to receive the tubular fitting which terminates externally of the barrel in a ilange beyond the pen barrel and is providedV internally with an annular shoulder. The plunger structure, which carries the piston, may also be hollow and has a reduced tubular portion extending above.

the wall of the fitting and receiving a cap at its upper end. Between such cap and the shoulder of the fitting, a coiled spring of suitable strength is interposed; whose function is to return the plunger after manual operation of the same. In thiscase, the piston portion 25! of the plunger enters the enlarged bore in the lower end of the tubular iltting and has at its lower end a flange, 25. 'I'he resilient washer or gasket 30", which may be of rubber or any othermaterial capable of performing the desired function and available for use in connection with any form of ink which may be employed in a fountain pen, is mounted on the piston 250, and its limits of movement in both directions is indicated in Figs. 6 and 7.

As has been explained, the washer or gasket is of relatively small sectional area and when the piston head is operated, suchgasket will roll on the same. When in the position of use, as illustrated in Fig. 6, it lies between the ilange of the piston and the lower end of the tubular fitting Il; sealing the joint between thelatter and the piston. When the piston is operated, the frictional engagement of the inner wall of the pen barrel with the outer surface of such washer or gasket,

causes it to roll on the piston head, at the same time maintaining the desired liquid-tight joint between the pistonv and the pen barrel.

The rolling action of the washer or gasket 30 (or 30a) with respect to the piston, is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10; the arrows indicating the direction of movement of th several parts.

In the form of air tube shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a slitted end is provided which is in frictional engagement with the bore of the plunger so that movement of the latter will be imparted to such air tube in both `directions for a limited extent and, in addition, the air tube is provided with a cross-boreat the end of its slits. This cross-bore is never closed bythe piston, as may be observed from an examination of Figs. 1 and 2. In the form of structure shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the

asians plunger with respect to such tube after thelatuppel'endy of the air tube is slit and the separate lends are outwardly flared to provide the desired frictional contact with the bore so that movement may be imparted to the air tube. In this instance the-bore of the plunger is slightly larger than the air tube; the space between the tube and plunger bore being sumcient for the passage of air to the slotted portion and thence to the bore of the tube for discharge when the plunger is actuated.

The gasket or washer 30, or 30, may be of rubber or of any rubbery composition, or of any material that will provide the desired resilience, flexibility and/or elasticity that willpermit it 'to function to seal the piston or plunger in that.,

barrel during its movements, and to roll with respect to the piston;" it being understood that the material so employedwill be one that will not be affected by the inks employed in fountainpens.

The parts of the filling device may be of'metal, or of composition of any suitable character, in whole or in part, and in all instances of a character unaffected by any type of ink employed in fountain pens.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the embodiments of my invention illustratedand described, without departing therefrom, all of which is believed to be covered by the appended claims.

Operation In the operation of my improved fountain pen iilling device, the parts are normally in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, (or Fig. 6); the movable washer carried by the plunger or piston-head occupying a position adjacent the lower flange of such plunger, and the air tube being in the raised position; a condition due to the fact that, by reason of the frictional engagement of its upper slitted end with the bore of the plunger, it will rise with the plunger until halted by the stop carried by the pen section.

The upper end of the plunger which may terminate in a ilanged cap slidable in the tubular fitting, is maintained in the elevated position by a spring and when such plunger is depressed against the tension of the spring by movement imparted to the cap, it is lowered in the barrel. In the first part of such movement, the boss or enlargement at the lower end of the air tube will close the passage of the pen section, and a portion of the air within the barrel will iind its exit through the slitted portion of the air tube which remains uncovered during the depression of the plunger. As the plunger continues its movement, the Washer or gasket will be rolled, so to speak, on the surface of the piston head by its engagement with the inner wall of the pen barrel, as indicated by the diagrams illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and at the end of such movement it will lie near the upper end of the piston head; approximately in contact with the upper ange of the same, in the form of structure shown in Fig. 2, and in the position illustrated in Fig. 7, in the form ofstructure which .omits the upper flange; said washer or gasket having turned over and over in its movements with and with respect to the piston head.

The depression of the plunger expels a certain amount of air from the pen barrel and creates a partial vacuum within the same so that when the spring retracts the cap with the plunger, ink will be drawn into the pen barrel, and such pumping operations may continue until the pen barrel is charged with ink to the desired extent.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and'3, an

additional gasket or washer is provided to seal the joint between the plunger and the tubular tting. In the structure shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the washer or gasket carried by the piston head performs this additional sealing function.

It will be clear from an examination of the drawings and full consideration of the foregoing description, that I have produced a novel and eiiicient form of fountain pen lling mechanism, and one that may be associated with a fountain pen barrel in a very simple manner. The whole pumping mechanism is carried by the tubular fitting in threaded engagement with the end of the pen barrel, and maybe inserted and removed as a unit. Aside from any other consideration and entirely beside the idea that repairs might ever be necessary, replacement of the pumping mechanism in case of accidental breakage or impairment is a very simple operation; it merely being necessary to remove the tubular fitting and with it the pumping elements, and then to insert a new unit pumping structure. My improved structure may be inserted in the barrel of a fountain pen by simply providing the end of the same with `internal threads adapted to receive the externally threaded tubular tting I3. And such mechanism includes the closure or cap I4, which ts the exposed threads of the tubular fitting I3, projecting beyond the end of the pen barrel.

While I have shown a form of air tube that is in frictional engagement with th bore of the plunger so as to be moved by the same, and is arranged to have its lifting movement arrested by the cross pin 38 carried by the pen section and overlying the enlarged end of the same, a similar stop might be carried by the piston or plunger and arranged to' cooperate with an elongated slot formed in the upper end of the air tube; the latter, in such instance, being free to move in the bore of the plunger. In such arrangement, the position of the stop pin carried by the plunger will be such as to engage the upper end of the slot at the end of a retractive movement and raise the lower end of the air tube from engagement with the seat of the pen section to an extent equalling that indicated in the form of structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6.

The size of the enlargement 35a at the end of the air tube and the position of the cross pin 38 are such that the air tube may be readily disengaged from the pen section, if and when necessary, in connection with any use of the fountain pen, or when assembling or disassembling the same.

Iclaim:

1. A fountain filling device comprising a selfcontained entity attachable to and detachable from the barrel of a fountain pen as a unit, comprising a tubular member fitting the end of the barrel, a plunger reciprocable in said sleeve, a spring resisting movement of said plunger in one direction and serving to return the same when pressure thereon is relieved; said plunger having a piston head with spaced nanges, and a rollable washer carried by said piston head between its flanges and sealing the space between the same and the wall of the pen barrel.

2. A fountain lling device comprising a selfcontained entity attachable to and detachable from the barrel of a fountain pen as a unit, comprising a threaded sleeve fitting the end of the barrel, a plunger reciprocable in said sleeve, a cap carried by tlre plunger, a spring interposed between the sleeve and cap for resisting movement of said plunger in one direction and serving to return the same when pressure thereon is relieved; said plunger having a piston head with spaced anges, and a rollable Washer carried by said piston head between its flanges and sealing the space between the same and the wall of the pen barrel.

3. A fountain fllling device comprising a selfcontained entity attachable to and detachable from the barrel of a fountain pen as a unit, comprising a tubular member fitting the end of the barrel, a plunger reciprocable in said sleeve, a spring resisting movement of said plunger in one direction and serving to retract the same when pressure thereon is relieved; said plunger having a piston head with spaced flanges, and a rollable washer carried by said piston head between its flanges and sealing the space between the same and the wall of the pen barrel.; said washer having rolling movement with respect to said piston head as the latter 1s moved during a pumping action and occupying' a sealing position with respect to said sleeve when the plunger is in the retracted position.

4. In a reciprocating piston device for filling fountain pens and the like, the combination of a pen barrel, a pen section carrying a writing implement and associated parts mounted in one end of said barrel, an air tube associated with the pen section, a tubular fitting secured in the opposite end of the barrel, a plunger reciprocable in said tting and bored to receive the upper end of the air tube, a rollable washer carried by the plunger and sealing the space between the 'latter and the inner wall of the pen barrel; said washer also serving to seal the joint between the plunger and the tubular fitting, and a spring serving to effect return movementof the plunger.

5. In a. reciprocating piston device for filling fountain pens and the like, the combination of a pen barrel, a pen section and associated parts carried by one en d of the same, an air tube assothreaded tubular fitting secured in the end of the barrel opposite said pen section; said tting having a plurality of bores and providing an internal shoulder, a hollow plunger movably mounted in said tting and having a piston head normally occupying a position in one of said bores, a spring engaging said shoulder and serving to retract said plunger and maintatin its piston head in the raised inactive position; said piston head loosely tting the pen barrel, and a rollable washer carried by the piston head and having movement thereon between the same and the inner wall of the pen barrel and sealing such space when the plunger is actuated to effect a pumping action by said piston head.

6. In a fountain pen lling device, the combination of a pen barrel or reservoir, a hollow pumping piston movable therein, a tubular tting detachably mounted in the end of the pen barrel, a hollow plunger for actuating said piston recprocable in said fitting, and a movable air tube in frictionable engagement with said hollow plunger and cooperating therewith.

7. In a reciprocating piston device for filling fountain pens and the like, the combination with a pen barrel, pumping mechanism at one end of the same including a hollow plunger, and a pen section at the opposite end of the barrel, of an air tube extending into said hollow plunger yand in frietional engagement therewith; said air be lifted from said seat upon a return stroke of the plunger.

8. In a reciprocating piston device for filling fountatin pens, and the like, the combination with a pen barrel, pumping mechanism at one end of the same including a hollow plunger, and a pen section at the opposite end of the barrel, of an air tube extending into said hollow plunger and in frictional engagement therewith; said air tube being adapted to seat against the pen section upon a forward stroke of the plunger and to be lifted from said seat upon a return stroke of the plunger, and means carried by the pen section for limiting the lifting movement of the air tube. I

9. In a `reciprocating piston device for filling `fountain pens and the like, the combination of a headed plunger having a reduced stem, a pen barrel in which such plunger may move, a tubular member at the end of the barrel in which the stem of the plunger is reciprocable; said stem and plunger being hollow, a washer or gasket interposed between the plunger and the inner wall of the barrel and capable of rolling on the plunger as the latter is'reciprocated, and aie air tube de-` tachably mounted in the barrel a1 id frictionally connected with the plunger for movement thereby.

10. In a reciprocating piston device 'for illing fountain pens and the like, the combination of a pen barrel, a reciprocating plunger having flanges with a reduced portion between the same, a washer carried by the reduced portion of the plunger in engagement with the barrel and.

adapted. to roll on the plunger during its reciprocations, a tubular shell connected to the end of the barrel in which the plunger may move, and a spring associated with said tubular shell for retracting the plunger after a manual movement thereof.

11. In a reciprocating piston device for lling fountain pens and the like, the combination of the pen barrel, agsleeve fitting the end of the same, a hollow plunger with a reduced stem re- 5 ciprocably mounted in said sleeve; said plunger having spaced anges at one end with a cylindrical portion between the same, a rollable washer disposed between said cylindrical portion of the plunger and the pen barrel and forming a liquidtight seal with the latter, an air tube within the barrel in frictional engagement with said plunger and movable therewith, and a spring for retracting said plunger following release of an inward movement of the same. k 12. In a reciprocating piston device for filling fountain pen barrels and the like, the combination of a pen barrel, a. hollow plunger, a sealing ring carried by the plunger and in engagement with the pen barrel for sealing the space between said parts; said sealing ring being capable of rolling movement with and independently of the plunger, means for retracting the plunger, an air tube friotionally engaging the plunger and movable with the same, and means for limiting the movement of the air tube independently of the movement of the plunger.

13. In a reciprocating piston device for filling fountain pens and the like, the combination of a pen barrel, a hollow plunger reciprocably mounted in one end of the same, a pen section detachably secured to the opposite end of said pen barrel, an air tube located within the pen barrel and operatively associated with said pen section and in frictional engagement with the bore of the hollow plunger; the latter being operable from a point externally of the pen barrel, a rollable washer mounted on said plunger between the same and the pen barrel and movable with and, with respect to said plunger, and means carried by the pen section for limiting movement of the air tube in both directions.

14. In a fountain pen filling device, the combination of a pen barrel, a plunger having a longitudinal bore and reciprocable in the pen barrel, and a movable air tube extending into the bore of the plunger; said air tube having a split end with outwardly flared parts to frictionally engage such bore.

HENRY C. KLAGGES. 

